Inopportune penalties cost the Coquitlam Express an opportunity to tie their BC Hockey Leaged best-of-seven playoff series against the Prince George Spruce Kings.
Lucas Vanroboys scored with 1:44 remaining in the first overtime period to give the Spruce Kings a 3-2 win over the Express, Saturday at the Rolling Rock Concrete Arena. Prince George now leads the series 2-0 as it heads back to Coquitlam for games Monday and Tuesday.
Vanroboys winning goal came just over a minute after Coquitlam’s Troy Robillard was sent to the penalty box for tripping when he broke up a breakaway by Ben rear of the Spruce Kings.
The extra period was necessitated after Brar had tied the game late in the third period, again on a power play. This time it was Ty Westgard doing time in the penalty box for slashing. Prince George also pulled their goalie to increase their man-advantage to two players.
Coquitlam opened the scoring just 2:39 into the first period. Joshua Wilder beat Spruce Kings goalie Logan Neaton with just a second left in an Express power play opportunity they got when Brar was sent to the box for tripping.
That lead stood up through the second period and halfway into the third, when Chong Min Lee got Prince George on even terms with an unassisted goal.
Wildauer’s second goal of the night with just 4:02 left in regulation put Coquitlam back in front.
Kolby Matthews made 37 saves for the Express, while Neaton stopped 27 of the 29 shots he face in the Spruce Kings’ net.
Games three and four of the series will be played Monday and Tuesday, 7:15 p.m., at the Poirier Sports an Leisure Complex.
